All BVI bareboat charter companies operate their own chase boats, making service calls possible within very short order.
Should you find issues or run into difficulties, call the charter base immediately. Do not put off calling the base until "sometime" later. Small issues can rapidly become larger issues if left unattended.
Should you choose not to advise the company of any problems you may encounter, you are not allowing them to correct the situation. In that case, you cannot reasonably expect
any consideration whatsoever, either financial or otherwise, upon the return of the yacht.
A man who goes into a restaurant, eats every morsel on his plate and complains that the food was terrible
after he has finished his meal, is unlikely to get so much as a free coffee ... and rightly so.
There is a cell phone provided aboard your yacht specifically for this purpose. Calls to the charter base are
free of charge. It takes very little effort to make a phone call. If the cell phone is not working where you are located, use your VHF radio. Just let the base staff know what is happening at the first opportunity.
In most cases, the staff will be able to diagnose the problem over the phone and will advise you how to make the necessary adjustment or repair. If the fix is beyond your abilities and you are unable to proceed on your way, a chase boat will be sent to your location a.s.a.p.
How Long Will a Chase Call Take?
There is no hard and fast answer to this question. Most chase calls are dealt with inside of 3 hours and many times, faster than that. It depends upon your location and whether or not parts are required. If the company has the parts on hand, no problem, they will be there a.s.a.p.
If special parts are required, they will advise what needs to be done, how long it will take and what the next steps will be. In any case, they will keep you informed.
Will we be compensated for lost sailing time?
Most charter companies provide demurrage (cash or credit against future charters) for lost sailing time in excess of 3 to 4 hours. This is often noted in their charter contract. For those that do not note it in their contract, it is generally standard policy.
No demurrage will be offered for lost sailing time, inconvenience or annoyance if you choose not to report the problem
immediately, giving the company the opportunity to correct the situation. So basically, I am saying, if you have a problem ...
call the charter company!
If it is determined that the yacht is (for whatever reason) unusable, the company will do everything in their power to supply a suitable replacement as quickly and with as little disruption to your holiday as possible. If it is not possible to replace the boat, you will receive a full refund or credit against a future charter for the time lost.
Contact Us
Once you have notified the company of any trouble you may be encountering, give us a call to keep us in the loop. Should problems escalate, I will get involved and do my utmost to represent your interests to the best of my abilities. Remember, as your
yacht charter broker, I work for you.
Should a dispute between yourselves and the charter company develop and should there be clear "fault" involved, I will not take your side
just because. Nor will I take the side of the charter company
just because. If I genuinely feel that one party or the other is at fault, I will make my position clearly known to both parties. My job is not to be an arbitrator, but I will certainly try to help in any way I can.
Charterer's Responsibilities
If it is determined that a chase call is required as a result of "customer error or neglect", you will be charged for parts and labour as well as the chase call itself. However, if a chase call is required due to a maintenance issue, the charter company will assume all costs.
